


A study in Italian cuisine

by tokyoangel1000



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Library, Different occupation, M/M, Med Student John, Pre-Relationship, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 13:39:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12190995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tokyoangel1000/pseuds/tokyoangel1000
Summary: John had not expected a handsome stranger to approach him in the middle of his shift and ask for oddly specific books on popular Italian lunch foods.





	A study in Italian cuisine

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt I found on tumblr:
> 
> "You're asking me to help you find books on a topic you're researching and the library is huge, so I'm trying, but it's difficult. Who researches the most popular lunch foods in Italy specifically from December 17th, 1982 to June 16th, 1990?"

John was having one hell of a day. When he applied to work at the library as a way of earning money while studying medicine, he had no idea what he was signing up for.

Let's just say that exam season at the library was a completely different experience when you were there as an employee rather than a student.

He had lost count of how many irritated students had asked him for books they had run out of, and the number of times he had to remind people of the library's no food and drink rule was insane. A lot of students didn't react too well to being told that they couldn't have their much-needed caffeine boost either.

 

This had been going on for several days now, and John was always grateful for the short breaks between heaps of students. He was having one of those breaks when a young man, possibly another student, with dark curly hair and cheekbones sharp enough to cut you walked up to the counter. John couldn't help but think that the man looked like he belonged on the cover of GQ.

"Hello, how may I-"

"I need every book you have with statistics of the most popular lunch foods in Italy. December 17th, 1982 to June 6th, 1990 to be exact. And make it quick, would you?"

Whatever John had expected, it certainly wasn't that.  
"E-Excuse me?"

The handsome stranger huffed in annoyance. "You heard me perfectly well. I must research the topic urgently, so I would appreciate a bit of haste on your part."

Now John was getting annoyed as well. Who did this man think he was?

"I don't mean to be rude, but how do you expect me to find those statistics for you? I had no idea such things were even recorded, let alone put into books. Do you have a book title I can look up or anything like that?"

The man looked at John with furrowed eyebrows. "If I did I would have asked for it. Once again, I would like to remind you that the matter is urgent. It's your job to look up books, and I would suggest that you do so. I understand this is probably very trivial work compared to the medical field you are aiming for, but I still need those books."  
  
John's eyes bulged wide and his eyebrows hiked up towards his hairline. "How did you know I am aiming to work in the medical field? Do I know you or something?" He was pretty sure he would remember such a handsome man had they had a previous meeting, but it was either that or this man was his very own personal stalker. He would rather it be the first one.

The man smirked and pointed towards John's bag sitting innocently on the floor behind the counter. "Most people don't carry around medical journals. Now you could just be an enthusiast, but the stethoscope and badge hanging out tell me otherwise. You could be a doctor, but then you wouldn’t be working here since I happen to know that there are several positions open at hospitals around the city. So, a medical student it is."

For a brief moment, John could do nothing but stare at the stranger, who now seemed to have lost a little bit of his previous bravado and was now looking a bit unsure of himself, his feet moving in a tiny shuffle. Then John could feel his own face break out into a big grin.  
"That was amazing!"

The man's eyes moved back to John, shock evident on his face for a moment before it was hidden again. "Really? Most people don't say that."

"What do they say?"

"Piss off."

At that they both begun to chuckle, until John remembered where they were and put a finger to his lips.

"As much as I want to hear what else you have figured out about me, I really need to begin searching if I want to find those books of yours before we close. Or before I get bombarded by more stressed students."

"I could help you with that." The man shuffled his feet again. "I really do need those books and your initial reaction to finding them for me tells me that you could require some assistance."

John rolled his eyes and huffed in amusement. "You act as if me not knowing where to find specific data on Italian lunch food in the late 20th century in an enormous library is an abnormality. Believe me when I say that you are the first to ever request that type of data." He could almost feel his own eyes soften as he looked back at the other man. "Normally I would decline and argue that you are the customer and all that, but I would be crazy to refuse you since you offered. Just don't complain later, because I will argue that it's your own fault for making such an oddly specific request."

The man snorted, but he had a faint smile on his lips. "Fair enough I guess." He threw out an arm towards the many bookshelves. "Shall we?"

As they made their way between the shelves, John finally decided to try and get some answers to the questions that had been eating at his brain since the stranger first spoke to him. "I never got your name."

"Sherlock Holmes." The man, now know to John as Sherlock, answered without missing a beat.

"Sherlock." John liked how the name rolled off his tongue. "I am John Watson. In case you somehow didn't know that already."

  
"Don't be dull John, of course I knew. You do realise you are wearing a nametag?"

John was torn between smiling and pouting. " Yeah yeah, no need to be a smartass about it." They finally stopped in front of a bookshelf that Sherlock deemed to be worthy of his time, and without much idea of how he was supposed to find what Sherlock was looking for John too began to inspect the shelf's contents. "What do you need this data for anyway? Seems like an oddly specific topic to research."

"On December 17th, 1982 began a string of murders in Italy that ended with a final case on June 16th, 1990. It will take me too long to explain, but the murders timing and place were somehow connected to the most popular lunch items in Italy at the time. The murderer was never caught, but a similar case has come up here in London. In order to solve this case, I must first solve the original one and then apply the solution to this case."

Once again, John found himself taken aback. But now, he was also intrigued. "So you are a detective or something?"

Sherlock nodded and continued to move books left and right, picking out some seemingly at random. "A consulting detective."

"I don't believe I have heard of that job before."

"I should hope not considering I invented the job." Now Sherlock definitely looked smug. "The detectives who work at places like Scotland Yard are bound by laws, priority cases and paperwork. I may help them with certain cases but I choose what I work on, when I work on it and which methods I use."

"I didn't know the police hired amateurs." While fascinated, John found Sherlock's position hard to believe.

"Oh John, you have only seen a glimpse of what I can do. Figuring out you were a medical student took barely any brainwork at all. You should see me in action before you call me an amateur."

  
  
Somehow, that comment lead to John following Sherlock to an Italian restaurant later that night, where Sherlock deduced his entire life story before running after the copycat Italian lunch murderer with John in tow. It was by far the craziest night in John's life, which would lead to many more over the years.  
  
While his job at the library had been boring at best and a living hell at worst, John would forever count it as one of the best jobs he had ever had. And Italian food would always hold a special place in his heart, a fact which time and time again made Sherlock scoff with fond amusement. He didn't mind though, as he knew that Sherlock secretly felt the same.

Of course, he would rather die before he ever admitted to such a thing.


End file.
